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CHIOZZA LAW BLOG

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Pedestrians Using Cellphones Can be a Recipe for Disaster

Just the other day I was driving through both Overton Square and The Cooper-Young area appreciating all of the wonderful planning and businesses that have contributed to revitalizing these areas. What I also noticed was the unbelievable amount of foot traffic that these areas experience on a daily basis. With this increased congestion of people inevitably comes people navigating the streets while looking at their cellphones and other devices.

Pedestrian fatalities are on the rise

In a recent study the Governors Highway Safety Association revealed pedestrian fatalities during the first six months of 2016 (2,368) exceeds the total amount of fatalities for all of the previous year (2,232). Their annual study, "Spotlight on Highway Safety Report", found pedestrian fatalities tended to occur more often in states with larger urban centers (such as New York), but when population was studied it was found that states with the highest fatality rate per 100,000 population were New Mexico, Florida, Delaware, Nevada, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Arizona.

Paying attention on when and where you are walking can help save your life and those around you. We have seen numerous auto accidents where a driver had to swerve his/her vehicle to avoid striking a negligently crossing pedestrian only to hit an innocent victim on the sidewalk. Waiting to check your text messages or email for just a few minutes could literally be the difference in a life and death situation.

Even though you as a pedestrian or bicyclist may be crossing at the proper designated time and place, there is a chance that the driver in the area is not paying attention, wherein neither party is able to avoid an accident, leading to a personal injury.

With increased foot traffic and bicyclists in small areas such as Overton Square and Cooper Young here in Memphis it is vitally important for both drivers and pedestrians to use extreme caution. The responsibility falls on everyone to make these revitalized areas both safe and user friendly for all.

A little bit of patience and awareness by everyone will go a long way in preventing these all too common incidents, providing an even more enjoyable Memphis experience.

If you or a loved one was involved in a bicycle, pedestrian or auto accident contact us online or call 901-526-9494 for a free, confidential case evaluation. We will thoroughly investigate your case to provide you with the answers you deserve and the representation you need.

About Chiozza Law Firm

We are a local Memphis law firm proudly representing the people of Memphis for over 30 years, handling all types of claims, including pedestrian and bicyclist injuries.

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